Morgan Stanley's John Mack Has a (Women's) Shoe Fetish

Morgan Stanley’s (MS) John Mack will be retiring at the end of the year, and last night, the Wall Street firm held a farewell bash to celebrate the departing chairman’s storied 40-year career, which included brief spells at a hedge fund and Credit Suisse (CS) but was spent mostly at Morgan.

The fete, held at Morgan Stanley’s cafeteria, had the feel of a roast, according to Fox Business Network, with many associates revealing some curious anecdotes about the department honcho.

Mack’s public relations flack, Jeanmarie McFadden announced that Mack, well-known for his quick temper, “cries a lot…more than (house speaker) John Boehner,” while Morgan’s former CEO Tom Nides, who is currently an assistant US Secretary of State, said Mack was a “big marshmallow.”

The 66 year-old man of the hour also shared some personal facts at the soiree. We all know about Mack’s fetish for cost-cutting (hence the nickname ‘Mack the Knife’), but the 66 year-old revealed that he has a fetish for shoes. Women’s shoes particular.

“I do love shoes, just women’s shoes. I told my wife that if I had to do this all again, I would be a shoe salesman,” he told FBN.

According to someone who attended yesterday’s gathering, Mack “talked about how if he hadn’t been a banker, he would have wanted to be a women’s shoe salesman. He said he loves watching the fierce New York ladies trying on Manolo Blahniks at Bergdorf Goodman–and recommends that all men go there and just sit and watch– because ladies will just walk up to you and ask you for your opinion.” In fact: “Once he told a woman, ‘Those are the ones. Get them.’ And the manager came up to him and said ‘Can you come here every day??’” Apparently Mack told people that his retirement is going to include being “a part-time salesman in the women’s shoe department at Berdorf’s.”

No love for Payless (PSS), Sears (SHLD) or Macy’s (M)? We’ll give it to Mack: He definitely has some classy taste in shoes. Ladies who plan on visiting Bergdorf Goodman in Manhattan, be sure to keep in mind that the nice sexagenarian man fitting your shoes might be worth some $100 million.